Microsoft China Strengthens Support for Nonprofits in Nanjing

There is growing interest across the social enterprise sector in China to learn more about the use of information technology (IT).

To support this burgeoning development, Microsoft China collaborated with Non-Profit Incubator (NPI) in June to host the sixth staging of NPO IT Day in Nanjing, aimed at providing the local nonprofit community with a better understanding of how technology can help transform social innovation in China.

Kaizhi Ni who established “Benefit the Public” Community Development Centre in Sichuan province, found Microsoft NPO IT Day to be highly beneficial in helping Chinese nonprofits address the needs of the communities they serve. The organisation recently developed an online platform to raise funds to sponsor the tourist activities of elderly rural residents, and will continue to work on expanding the platform to serve a broader community.

The event attracted representatives from more than 50 nonprofit groups in Jiangsu province to get together to exchange ideas, as well as learn how to better utilise IT to enhance operational and management efficiency within their organisations. The event was also attended by a number of high-ranking government officials and senior leaders from the nonprofit sector.

Daniel Suen, Vice President of Microsoft, Greater China Region, highlighted Microsoft’s commitment to broadening its technical expertise to support the local nonprofit community. “As a responsible corporate citizen and industry leader, Microsoft China is committed to providing the necessary IT tools to support the growth and development of social enterprises across the country. Events such as the NPO IT Day enable us to offer local nonprofits deeper insights into how they can enhance their IT capacity through Microsoft technologies.”

During the event, delegates attended a comprehensive training session on the use of Office 365TM to synchronise its email system and internal communications across different locations. Microsoft also showcased the collaborative features of Office 365 to help nonprofit employees improve their work productivity.

Government officials spoke highly of Microsoft’s efforts to support nonprofit activities in China. Yang Ming, Deputy Party Secretary of Yuhuatai District of Nanjing, said, "We appreciate Microsoft’s economic and social contributions to the development of Yuhuatai District in Nanjing. We aim to develop this district into a strong software development hub, and we are committed to working together with partners such as Microsoft to create a friendly environment for nonprofit groups.”

Mr Ni concluded, “Nonprofits in China need to gain a greater awareness of how IT can be used to raise funds, and NPO IT Day is an ideal platform to exchange ideas for how nonprofits can more effectively meet community needs.”